Norah Jones a tinge short

Jswarnke, Couldn't agree with you more about Butler. Excellent! I didn't read all of the posts carefully but I didn't notice any mention of Mary Stallings, Rene Marie, or for that matter Shirley Horn - of course these are jazz singers not pop/rock or audiophile types. Speaking of pop no one mentioned Cassidy - but I guess she dead isn't she. Non the less she sang everything - soul, pop, jazz. What a talent! Guess Horn's dead too. But at least she got a lot down before she died. Oh, another great jazz singer not mentioned much Etta Jones, wife of Houston Person. Big voice - lots of character - not just another knock off.

I woun't mention who I don't listen to after hearing their albums once! :-)

Well, I sorta started this free-for-all and must chime in here, not so much on the Snore-ah issue (I've said what I wanted to say) but on the OTHER question: "Do women singers sing anything but love songs?".

Hell-O? Can you say the one-of-a-kind Nina Simone?

And NOT ONE mention yet of the too-good-to-mention-in-the-same-thread-as-Snore-ah-but-forgive-me-I-just did: Lucinda Williams? Who also happens to be a great songwriter, who can put so much emotion into a song, whether it's love, eroticism, anguish, anger, or (sometimes) lightheartedness it puts you inside her head and inside her heart? I really don't care whether anyone agrees with what I think but if no one has mentioned Lucinda yet I really think you need to at least give her a listen.

Others I like, some of whom are criminally underrated: Linda R., EmmyLou, Nanci G (sometimes), Jennifer W., Alison K., Anita O'Day, K.D. Lang, Paula Cole, Margot Timmins...

Diana K. can sometimes be fun to listen to, not in small part due to great production quality, which actually makes for good audition tracks, as does Jacintha.

The CD "Miss America" by Mary Margaret O'Hara ... borderline atonality, but truly iconic ... one I've kept for the past 20 years.

I just noticed today that the drummer on Sting's 1991 "The Soul Cages" ... was Manu Katché ... whose 2007 "Playground" CD is extremely good

Gotta agree Norah on Blue Note (not the HDCD) is harsh on the highs. Enough to give me a headache after 5-6 songs.

Women who don't sing love songs?!?!?! C'mon man, there's plenty. Just as fast as I can type, off the top of my head, and among my favorites:

Patty Griffin
Tori Amos
Laurie Anderson
Lucinda Williams
Rory Block
Gillian Welch
Mary Gauthier
Lori Carson
Margo Timmons (Cowboy Junkies)
Karen Paris (Innocence Mission)
Joanna Newsome
Karin Bergquist (Over the Rhine)
Patricia Barber
(Leslie) Feist

I can go on if I go into my CD drawer, but that's as far as my wee memory can spew forth at the moment. Jeez, when I think about I actually can't think of many female vocalists that I enjoy who DO sing love songs!!

Arkprof - Good call on Mary Margaret. I also have the soundtrack to "Apartment Hunting", but not as good as Miss America. Is she still around and recording? Her CD's are all out of print and pricey. Good stuff though!

Marco